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User blog:BeastMan14/Film Review: "Sorry to Bother You" Is Cutting, Absurd Satire
Only two films this year have left me totally speechless by their end credits: Avengers: Infinity War, a blockbuster epic that served as the beginning of the end of nearly ten years of storytelling, and Sorry to Bother You, the colorful, over-the-top, and deeply satirical directorial debut of rapper Boots Riley. With an excellent cast, compelling and creative premise, and clear talent behind the camera, everything comes together to create a film that will almost certainly go down as an instant classic. The Cast While there's few actual heavyhitters in the film, the entire cast shines, selling the absurdity of the film with total earnesty. It's obvious stand-out is it's lead, Lakeith Stanfeld, who gives a performance that will hopefully shoot one of the most promising actors of the last couple years into superstardom. Stanfield's Cassius Green is a perfect everyman, flowing perfectly from charming to arrogant to panicked and making his plight one that feels all too relatable. By his side is Tessa Thompson's Detroit, Cassius's girlfriend who serves as the film's heart, who injects the character with a passion that prevents her from ever feeling like a generic love interest, and Steven Yeun's Squeeze, a union organizer who serves as a more stoic foil to the ambitious Cash. Squeeze works as the film's optimist, and there's enough charm to Yeun's turn that one could easily imagine an equally great film from his perspective. Other smaller players include Danny Glover, who only gets a few short scenes to showcase that he can be truly charming when he cares about the material, and a variety of cameos, most notably David Cross and Patton Oswalt as Cash and Mr._______'s respective "white voices", which never fail to bring laughs. Surprisingly, the film's best performance may come from Armie Hammer, who dominates his few scenes through sheer bravado, charisma, and just the right amount of uncomfortable menace, feeling like a childish take on his Winkelvoss twins. In a cast as diverse as this, it should be unsurprising when everyone knocks it out of the park, and yet, it was deeply satisfying to see such clear effort from everyone involved. Score: 5 out of 5 The Story As I was heading home after viewing the film, I was reminded of a quote I had read once. "Effective satire has to be almost identical to the subject that it is skewering." Filled with organized labor strikes battling authority, widespread poverty, private corporations effectively legalizing slavery while a nation obsessed with mindless entertainment watches carelessly, the United States of Sorry to Bother You feels immensely identical to our own, only (fortunately) much funnier. Despite little experience in traditional writing, Riley manages to make a cast that easily could've been one-note punchlines feel entirely human, be they struggling to make rent or fighting for fair treatment. Even Mr.______, a man who only speaks in white voice, feels like a middle manager we've all had to deal with, with a moment of quiet sympathy between him and Cassius shared near the end of the film catching me off-guard. Surprisingly, the film's staunchly pro-union and pro-activism political message never feels forced or preachy, even if it is never fully resolved in a traditional sense, which felt odd given how well the film regularly introduced seemingly one-off jokes only to bring them back for a satisfying payoff. Even the twist, which comes so far out of left field it could've sank the entire film, simply clicks into the world that's been set up, enabling the viewer to be shocked rather than jolted out entirely. Score: 4.5 out of 5 Direction As a man who has worked in music for decades, Boots Riley has such a clear eye for color, perspective, and motion that it's immensely easy to get caught up in the film's breakneck excitement and pace. There's moments where it feels like watching a kid in a candy store excitedly show you everything he wants, as Riley shows off tricks he's clearly been waiting years to show off. (Cassius and Detroit's apartment being upgraded around them is a particular highlight, while the film's chaotic climax is another.) The cinematography by Doug Emmett is beautiful as well, as the film hits you with a variety of locales from art shows to drab offices to extravagant parties, each with it's own distinct color palette, while Terel Gibson's editing keeps the film from ever overwhelming you. And, unsurprisingly, the score composed by New England band the Tune-Yards is a refreshing turn from traditional orchestral work, while the soundtrack written by Riley's own band the Coup is fantastic, with the film's trailer song, "OYAHYTT", serving as a particular favorite. Score: 4.5 out of 5 Final Verdict Sorry to Bother You is one of those brilliant films we see once every couple of years, the kind that catches you totally off-guard and leaves you immensely excited to see where it's creators will go next. It's a film that will stick with you long after the credit's roll, and will probably make you mumble, "What the fuck?" as you left the theater. At least, that's what it did to me. Final Score: 93% Potential Ballot Spots: *Best Picture *Best Director - Boots Riley *Best Actor - Lakeith Stanfield *Best Supporting Actress - Tessa Thompson *Best Limited Performance - Armie Hammer *Best Original Screenplay *Best Original Score *Best Cinematography *Best Film Editing *Best Costume Design *Best Make-Up and Hair Design *Best Original Song - "OYAHYTT" feat. Lakeith Stanfield and the Coup Category:Blog posts Category:Reviews Category:2018 Reviews